Pool A (Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, New Zealand)
Australia: Jack Bostock (Dolphins)
After making his NSW Origin debut this season, and playing in the Dolphins’ first finals series, Bostock will take the next step with his Kangaroos debut.
Specialist wingers Mark Nawaqanitawase, Selwyn Cobbo, and Josh Addo-Carr are all unavailable, so Bostock has been named on the wing in the World Cup opener against New Zealand, and he can shift to centre if needed.
He could also face his Dolphins centre partner Herbie Farnworth if Australia plays England in the semi-final or the final: expect the good-natured sledging to be turned up to 11 if that's the case!
Cook Islands: KL Iro (Cronulla Sharks)
Cronulla centre Iro will play in his second World Cup and will captain the Cook Islands. Joining the Sharks in 2022, he’s played 61 games and scored 30 tries, including 12 this season (and hat-tricks against North Queensland and the Wests Tigers).
Iro will need to be the Cook Islands’ leading try-scorer to give them any hope in a tough Pool A.
Fiji: Apisai Koroisau (Wests Tigers)
In his fourth World Cup, Api will captain Fiji, with Tui Kamikamica and Viliame Kikau unavailable. Since leaving Penrith after the 2022 premiership win, Api has been one of the Wests Tigers’ most consistent players, with 84 games in four seasons.
While Fiji made the semi-finals in the 2008, 2013, and 2017 World Cups, the streamlined 2026 tournament makes it harder for them to progress, with only four finals spots.
They should beat the Cook Islands, but Api will need to be at his best to give Fiji any hope of upsetting Australia or New Zealand.
New Zealand: Kalyn Ponga (Newcastle Knights)
While the new State of Origin eligibility rules have been controversial (with some critics assuming it would turn Origin into an “anyone can play” All-Star series), it allows Ponga to represent New Zealand without risking his Queensland Origin spot, while Dane Gagai also switches to the Kiwis (qualifying through his mother).
Ponga has never played for Australia (unless you count the Rugby League World Cup 9s in 2019), has previously withdrawn from selection to focus on Newcastle, and it feels like he’s been waiting to represent New Zealand (qualifying through his family’s heritage and playing three games for the Maori All Stars).
He’s been criticised for an apparent lack of commitment in the past, along with the persistent rumours of him going to another NRL club or the All Blacks.
But Ponga has embraced Justin Holbrook’s arrival, re-signing to the end of 2030 and showing genuine passion for the Knights (playing 19 games for 98 points and scoring a 95-metre Grand Final try that will be on highlights packages for years to come).
Ponga starts at fullback against Australia and will be one of the keys to New Zealand winning their first World Cup since 2008.
Pools B & C (England, France, Lebanon, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga)
England: George Williams (Dolphins)
This World Cup could be a redemption story for England’s captain George Williams after his controversial exit from the NRL.
Joining Canberra from Wigan, he played 22 games in 2020 as the Raiders made the preliminary final, and he looked like the next great English recruit in the nation’s capital. But Williams left midway through 2021 after only 10 more games.
It was a messy exit that didn’t paint the Raiders or Williams in a good light. Since returning to Super League, Williams has played 121 games for Warrington, including this year’s Grand Final loss to Wakefield Trinity, and 13 more Tests/World Cup games for England (including last year’s Ashes).
With Williams now officially joining the Dolphins in 2027 to replace Kodi Nikorima, Dolphins fans may pay just a little bit of extra attention to England’s games, as he will be one of the keys to them going deep into the tournament.
Lebanon: Alex Twal (Wests Tigers)
Last playing for Lebanon in the 2017 World Cup, the Wests Tigers cult hero will captain the Cedars, and is their most experienced NRL player (181 games for the Tigers) after Mitchell Moses – who was intending to play for Lebanon – was selected for Australia.
While they should beat France in their final pool game, it may be too late to reach the semi-finals unless Twal can use his experience to help the Cedars upset PNG or Tonga.
Samoa: Francis Manuleleua (Newcastle Knights)
Manuleleua has been rewarded for his excellent debut NRL season: playing 15 games, being a consistent edge threat (with six try assists), and recovering from a dislocated elbow on the eve of the finals.
He scored the opening four-pointer in the Grand Final, running 20 metres off a Fletcher Sharpe ball. Samoa will be a semi-final contender if he can continue his outstanding form in the World Cup.
France: Latrell Siegwalt (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
While France have plenty of Super League representation, Siegwalt is the only NRL player in their squad, and is eligible through his paternal grandfather.
France aren’t expected to get near the semi-finals, so Seigwalt (playing eight games for South Sydney in his debut season and scoring 64 points) can use this World Cup to gain international experience and push for a regular spot in the Rabbitohs’ first grade side next season.
Papua New Guinea: Rhyse Martin (Retired from club football)
The 2026 World Cup will be Martin's farewell from footy: after nearly 200 Super League games (132 for Leeds and 43 for Hull KR), the Kumuls captain has signed with the PNG Chiefs as their Football Operations Manager from 2027.
With 29 Tests/World Cup games from 2014 to 2025, Martin is PNG’s all-time leading points-scorer (248 points across Tests and World Cup games), so expect him to be score plenty of points again as the Kumuls battle with Lebanon, Samoa, and England for one of the semi-finals spots.
Tonga: Haumole Olakau'atu (Manly Sea Eagles)
The destructive Manly second rower returns to Tonga for the first time since the 2024 Pacific Championships.
While the Sea Eagles missed the finals (despite some promising form under Kieran Foran), Olakau'atu won the Roy Bull Best and Fairest award, scoring nine tries in 21 games, averaging 171 running metres, and being a constant edge threat.
He’ll need to replicate that form as the powerful Tongan side competes with England, Lebanon, and Samoa for the semi-finals.
The blockbuster Tonga vs Samoa match (Sunday 1st of November at CommBank Stadium) could be a play-off for second place in Pool B + C.
Andrew Pelechaty is a freelance rugby league writer and has written for various rugby league websites since 2004. He has been the Web Content Editor at Rugby League Zone since 2017 and began producing NRL content for Flashscore in 2025. You can read all of his content here and contact him on LinkedIn.
